Body Wear Accessories

ABSTRACT

A new method and system for accessorizing body wear of a user. Various conventional accessories are attached to clothing that covers the legs and a user&#39;s other parts. The way in which the accessories are held ensures that the accessories to not fall off and/or injure others during the typical heavy motion of a user&#39;s legs throughout a typical day.

CONTINUITY

This application is a non-provisional patent application of provisional patent application No. 62/179,804, filed on May 20, 2015, and priority is claimed thereto.

FIELD OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates generally to systems and methods configured to accessorize body wear, and more specifically relates to a system and method for allowing accessories to adorn along and around articles of clothing on a user.

BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Clothing is often worn to not just keep a person's body warm, but the colors and shapes of clothing that a person wears allows the portrayal of different looks as well. For example, bright colors are typically worn loosely on a nice spring day, white colors are typically worn with larger cut openings in the summer, and darker colors are worn with little skin exposed at more formal or serious affairs. Moreover, creatively-shaped clothing is often worn at formal parties, traditional suits are typically worn in court, and tight-fitting clothing is oftentimes worn in a gym. Without question, clothing makes a statement.

In addition to using clothing to convey a feeling, jewelry, fringes, scarves, chains, and other accessory items are used to further the look that one wants to portray. For example, when going out for a formal night on the town, many women choose to wear an abundance of jewelry. Similarly, when getting ready for a date, many women won't just wear fancy clothes, but accessorizing is a key part of an overall image that that the women want to achieve. Even when playing sports, many players still, albeit unsafely, wear earrings because there is no other way to really look a little different than the other players. If nothing else, accessorizing is a way to individualize your image beyond just the clothes that you are sporting.

Unfortunately, there are a limited known number of ways to accessorize. Or in other words, you can wear earrings, you can wear bracelets, and you can wear necklaces; however, you only have two ears on which to wear earrings, you only have two wrists on which to wear bracelets, and you only have one neck on which to wear necklaces. It would be nice to have a greater variety of places on which to wear accessories.

Various patents exist for increasing positions for adding accessories. U.S. Pat. No. 7,721,571 B2 issued to Rose et. al. on May 25, 2010, shows clothing jewelry is formed from a plurality of short chains removably attached to an article of clothing to form a plurality of vertically extending retainer loops, and an elongated decorative member supported by the retainer loops and encircling a portion of the clothing, e.g., a pant leg, a jacket or blouse adjacent the cuff, a skirt adjacent the hemline, and similar clothing articles. The elongated member may be a jewelry chain formed into a continuous or endless loop, a ribbon formed into an endless loop, or other decorative loops. The short chains have fasteners, e.g., a pin and back fastener, at both ends for removable attachment to the article of clothing. Unlike the present invention, Rose et. al.'s invention is designed to solely work with a jewelry chain formed into a continuous or endless loop, a ribbon formed into an endless loop, or other decorative loops. Further, Rose et al.'s invention does not have loops of different sizes and positioned at different angles in various planes.

U.S. Pat. No. 6,367,088 B1 issued to Bergemann on Apr. 8, 2002, shows a garment embellishment, having no neck or collar attachment means, that is provided allowing the wearer of casual clothing to quickly attach the embellishment and thereby formalize his clothing. The embellishment may take the place of a more formal necktie, bolo tie, or scarf and may be easily transported in a pocket, purse or briefcase so that it is immediately available to help dress-up casual clothing. Further, the embellishment may be used as a novelty at parties, political rallies and other places where the display of a message may be desired. The embellishment may be removably attached to clothing by use of double-sided adhesives, hook and loop fasteners, pins, snaps, button loops or other buttoning attachments. The embellishment may be worn with a jacket or blazer or alone on a shirt or blouse to provide more decoration to clothing. Unlike the present invention, Bergemann's invention is applied to the torso of a standard shirt or blouse, such that Bergemann's article looks like a hanging handkerchief and may decorate the torso of the shirt or blouse much like a neck-tie; and Bergemann invention is not designed for adornment of a garment that could be worn anywhere on a user's body.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,975,987 A issued to Teachout et al. on Dec. 11, 1990, shows an attachment mechanism and system, for the ornamentation of and on articles of clothing (i.e., shirts, blouses, dresses, pants, skirts, shorts, overalls, jackets, etc.). The article of clothing has a first strip of material, the system's receiving loop forming element, affixed to it. This strip is sewn or otherwise attached at its two ends to the article of clothing, leaving the center section spaced from the article to form the receiving loop upon the article of clothing. This receiving strip can be attached to any chosen display area upon the garment's exterior. Customized fabric receiving strips could also become the clothing manufacturer's vanity/display label. In one embodiment, the ornamentation, preferably of soft composition, has an attachment strip attached to the back side or its top section wherein the strip ends are releasably interconnected to form an attachment loop. One end of the strip providing the open attachment loop extends through the receiving loop and closes to itself, end to end, thereby interlocking the attachment loop to the receiving loop and completing the ornament attachment. Variations include a second receiving loop on the ornament; ornaments with a slotted back; or a third loop, eyelet or clip used to complete the ornament to garment attachment. Unlike the present invention, Teachout's invention is confined to attaching accessories to receiving loops, the accessories having their own strips to hold the accessories in receiving loops.

US Patent Publication No. 2007/0186455 A1 invented by Lin and published on Aug. 16, 2007, shows a system for attaching decorative identifiers to apparel and accessories that includes a backing band attached at least an upper edge to the item. The band has vertical slits to accommodate a display belt interwoven through the slits to form hanging loops. Decorative identifiers such a letters, charms, or insignia are suspended from identifier hangers. The hangers are shaped to fit pivotally over the hanging loops. The display belt is attached to either the item or the backing band at one end and may be removably attached to the item or the backing band at the other end to allow for easy removal of the hangers. The display belt is attached to the item or backing band using a pair of rings, a buckle, a snap, Velcro™ fasteners or buttons. The decorative identifiers may be attached to the hangers permanently or using split or openable rings, swivels or spring clips. Unlike the present invention, Lin's invention has a band with vertical slits to receive a belt.

Thus, there are limitations to known accessorizing apparatuses and methods. More particularly, considering that a person's legs are roughly one half of a person's body, it is desirable to not just accessorize the top portion of a person's body. There is a need for a way to accessorize the legs of a person, as much ornamentation is designed to accessorize the torso of a person. What is needed is a system and apparatus that facilitates accessorizing clothing that allows infinitely variable accessories to be displayed on the legs of an individual. In addition, the rest of an individual's body move and twists, so there is a need for a way to accessorize all the clothing of an individual. In other words, there is especially a need for a way to accessorize clothing that could be covering any portion of an individual's body—and particularly clothing that covers appendages that move and sway.

While accessorizing the legs and arms of an individual might seem to be a rather simple task, it is not. Rather, a torso of a person doesn't swing, sway, and otherwise move as much as the legs and arms of a person. Daily routines and movement do not typically cause the extreme movement a person's torso as compared to a person's legs and arms. The number of steps and pounding that a person's legs (and the number of swings that a person's arms) accomplish each and every day makes accessorizing legs (and arms) a daunting task—who wants to invest in accessories that could detach and be lost, or easily get tangled, or easily twist and turn, or fly off and injure others? Moreover, the sheer motion of walking causes legs to bulk and slim down, as muscles extend and retract; the sheer motion of moving reaching and grabbing causes arms to bulk and slim down; and so any clothing (on arms and legs) to which accessories are attached is constantly being stretched, twisted, and tossed. Similarly, other garments that an individual wears also are in need of accessories that might become dislodged during rapid and/or abrupt movement.

Thus, there is also a need for a secure way to accessorize the clothing of a person. While accessorizing demands that a person have the ability to attach and detach accessories as desired, accessorizing a person's legs and other moving parts also demands that accessories be attached and arranged so that they do not become lost, or easily get tangled, or easily twist and turn, or fly off and injure others. Such an apparatus and method would allow for expression on all of a person's clothes.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new method and system for ornamentation for the legs and arms of a person. More specifically, the present invention focuses on clothing that would be worn on the legs and arms of a person, and how to safely and securely accessorize the clothing worn on the legs and arms of a person. It should be understood that the present invention is also ideal for other garments that are positioned on fast moving parts of a person's body.

The present invention is configured for leg and arm wear of any kind such as, but not limited to, pantyhose, stockings, leggings, and tights. The present invention is specially designed to enhance and beautify a person's legs and arms by having the ability for the attachment of accessories without encumbering movement of a person's legs and arms. Similarly, the present invention can be used on other parts of a person's body that are fast moving.

The specific accessories are jewelry, fringes, scarves, chains, and any other type of accessories or items. The accessories do not have to be specially designed for the present invention, but rather, any typical accessory can be adapted for use with the present invention. One of the goals of the present invention is to not require a user to purchase specially formatted accessories that will only work with the present invention. Or in other words, to use the present invention a user does not have to begin a collection of specialized accessories. Rather, the present invention holds and maintains typical accessories that a user oftentimes already owns. While typical accessories are designed to worn around a user's neck or wrist, the present invention allows a user to wear those same accessories on along a user's legs and arms. Of course, the accessories are not designed to be worn on a user's legs and arms by the accessories' very nature—and that is where the present invention comes into play.

The present invention provides leg and arm wear that is designed so that there are loops, hoops, holes, slits and other kinds of holding mechanism that will allow for the items to be attached. The present invention has leg and arm wear that can be designed to display one or many items using various kinds of holding mechanisms (loops, holes, slits, hoops, tubes, etc.). The fact that ornaments are not necessarily made as part of the leg and arm wear of the present invention allows for a user to design their own individual look using all kinds of ornaments of their own choosing. Moreover, even jewelry, fringes, scarves, chains, and any other type of accessories or items that might have previously been deemed passe or undesirable receive a new life with the present invention. Unlike some other leg and arm wear designed or decorated with ornaments, the present invention provides a truly creative and personalized accessorizing experience where accessories are not dictated by the article of clothing covering a user's legs and arms. While other means of accessorizing legs and arms provide accessories that are fixed and cannot be removed from clothing—such as studs or ornamental stitching on jeans—the present invention provides variable attachments of a user's choosing. The only restriction of the present invention is how the clothing is designed to receive and hold accessories.

Just as a user's neck is adorned by jewelry and scarves, a user's fingers by rings, a user's ears by earrings, etc., the leg and arm wear of the present invention allows the same effect for a user's legs and arms. The leg and arm wear of the present invention is designed in such a way that it will allow for items to be attached to it and displayed in any size, shape, manner, form or design. The accessorizing items can be placed anywhere (front, back, side) on the leg and arm wear of the present invention. The type of fabric used to produce the leg and arm wear of the present invention can be made from any kind or type of material or textile. And the holding mechanisms of the present invention can be made of any substance including, but not limited to, textiles, plastics or metals. When the leg and arm wear of the present invention is produced or manufactured, the different types of holding mechanisms (slits, holes, loops, hoops, tubes, etc.), although part of the leg and arm wear of the present invention, can be made as part of the leg and arm wear of the present invention during the leg and arm wear production so that the holding mechanisms are literally embedded in the material of the leg and arm wear of the present invention. Alternatively, the different types of holding mechanisms can be attached after the leg and arm wear of the present invention is made.

Since the present invention is designed to securely accessories to a user's legs and arms, danger of injury to a user or others because accessories detach and fly off leg and arm wear is virtually eliminated.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be better understood with reference to the appended drawing sheets, wherein:

FIG. 1 displays a series of retaining members arranged in a general sloping pattern encircling a stocking according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows the various angles of attachment points of the retaining members according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows retaining members arranged at various angles at various positions along a stocking according to the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The present invention is a system and method for accessorizing a user's legs and arms, although it can be a method for accessorizing any article of clothing. A series of retaining members 10 are disposed on any conventional clothing, preferably, a stocking 20. The retaining members 10 can be slits, holes, loops, hoops, and/or tubes, but preferably are free-hanging loops of clear material that are attached to the stocking 20 at various positions and angles.

As shown in FIG. 1, the series of retaining members 10 are arranged in a general sloping pattern encircling leg 30 of stocking 20. The sloping pattern that encircles leg 30 of stocking 20 is preferred in cases where a necklace 40 or other long accessory is strung through retaining members 10. This is preferred because necklace 40 is loosely positioned through each of retaining members 10—and in this way, necklace 40 loosely encircles leg 30. Should leg 30 bend, as for example during running, walking, or sitting, necklace 40 slides back and forth through retaining members 10 with ease. Similarly, should leg 30 sway back and forth during a walking motion, necklace 40 will not restrain the girth of leg 30 as muscles extend and contract. This is because the retaining members 10 do not fit tightly to necklace 40 that has been disposed within retaining members 10, but rather, retaining members 10 merely provide support for necklace 40 so that necklace 40 does not fall from stocking 20.

It should be further noted that the sloping pattern of retaining members 10 about stocking 20 is purposeful because it allows necklace 40 to tend to hang about leg 30 via gravity. Motion of leg 30 causes necklace 40 to slide back and forth within retaining members 10, as more length of necklace 40 than required to encircle leg 30 through retaining members 10, is chosen for necklace 40. Thus, there is extra slack 45 of necklace 40 that congregates toward ankle 50. Extra slack 45 of necklace 40 normally remains toward ankle 50. But during motion or bending of leg 30, extra slack 45 provides the needed length of necklace 40 so that necklace 40 can slide through retaining members 10 against gravity to prevent stress on necklace 40. When motion or bending of leg 30 does not exert stress on necklace 40, necklace 40 slides back through retaining members 10 via gravity and extra slack 45 is once again visible toward ankle 50.

As extra insurance that necklace 40 will not be stressed and break as leg 30 enlarges and shrinks during normal walking and sitting, retaining members can be arranged in a first horizontal pattern 60 and a second horizontal pattern 70. First horizontal pattern 60 is positioned just below knee 80 of leg 30. Second horizontal pattern 70 is positioned just above ankle 50 of leg 30. First horizontal pattern 60 and second horizontal pattern 70 depart from the sloping pattern of retaining members 10 about stocking 20—in particular, first horizontal pattern 60 and second horizontal pattern 70 have retaining members 10 arranged in a generally horizontal plane encircling leg 30. So, according to this embodiment of the present invention, retaining members 10 are arranged in a general sloping pattern encircling leg 30 of stocking 20, but after knee 80, retaining members 10 are arranged in first horizontal pattern 60 encircling leg 30 of stocking 20; and then retaining members 10 are arranged in a general sloping pattern encircling leg 30 of stocking 20 until just before ankle 50, where retaining members 10 are arranged in second horizontal pattern 70.

Accordingly, first horizontal pattern 60 provides for necklace 40 to be horizontally positioned about stocking 20, providing lower-tensioned areas of necklace 40 to be taken up above knee 80 as needed during movement of leg 30. Similarly, second horizontal pattern 70 provides for necklace 40 to be horizontally positioned about stocking 20, providing lower-tensioned areas of necklace 40 to be taken up above ankle 50 as needed during movement of leg 30.

Although the generally sloping pattern of retaining members 10 has been explained above, and is shown in FIG. 1 as a generally sloping spiral around stocking 20, the particular sizing of retaining members 10 requires some further description. The actual diameter of the retaining members 10 should be somewhat larger than necklace 40 in terms of diameter—for as noted above: the retaining members 10 do not fit tightly to necklace 40 that has been disposed within retaining members 10, but rather, retaining members 10 merely provide support for necklace 40 so that necklace 40 does not fall from stocking 20. In other words, the diameter of the retaining members 10 must be large enough so that necklace 40 (or whatever else is placed within retaining members 10) is able to slide back and forth within the retaining members 10.

Moreover, although the generally sloping pattern of retaining members 10 has been explained above, and is shown in FIG. 1 as a generally sloping spiral around stocking 20—and the general sizing of retaining members 10 has been explained—the particular angling of retaining members 10 requires some further description. The angling of retaining members 10 refers to the angle at which retaining members 10 are attached to stocking 20. For example, retaining members 10 could be attached to stocking 20 so that, as shown in FIG. 2, the attachment point 80 is at the highest vertical position 100; angled to the upper right position 110; angled to the upper left position 120; angled to the far right position 130; and/or angled to the far left position 140. Importantly, the angle at which retaining members 10 are attached to stocking 20 determines how retaining members 10 depend from stocking 20—or in other words, the angle at which retaining members 10 are arranged to receive necklace 40. Preferably, as shown in FIG. 3, retaining members 10 are arranged at various angles at various positions along stocking 20. The user of the present invention determines which of the retaining members 10 to use to string necklace 40, although the aforementioned arrangement of necklace 40—as shown in FIG. 1—is preferred for all the reasons already addressed.

It should be understood that although necklace 40 is shown and explained has being threaded through retaining members 10, any objects could be threaded through retaining members 10 in any pattern of retaining members 10. For example, little pendants could be attached clipped to or strung through one or a multiplicity of retaining members 10. Even necklace 40 could be tied or actually fastened to any one or multiplicity of retaining members 10. Stocking 20, although described and shown above, could be any garment, as well as a garment covering the upper body. The present invention with retainer members 10 could even be disposed on a ski hat—that is various garments could replace the stocking 20 of the present invention as described above. It should also be understood that retaining members 10 could be variously-sized diameter loops having one point of attachment to stocking 20 or another garment worn by the user.

Having illustrated the present invention, it should be understood that various adjustments and versions might be implemented without venturing away from the essence of the present invention. Further, it should be understood that the present invention is not solely limited to the invention as described in the embodiments above, but further comprises any and all embodiments within the scope of this application.

The foregoing descriptions of specific embodiments of the present invention have been presented for purposes of illustration and description. They are not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed, and obviously many modifications and variations are possible in light of the above teaching. The exemplary embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical application, to thereby enable others skilled in the art to best utilize the present invention and various embodiments with various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. 

I claim:
 1. A method for accessorizing a garment of a user, comprising: placing a garment on the user; attaching retaining members to the garment at a variety of angles; and arranging an accessory through the retaining members.
 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising attaching the retaining members to form a slope between the retaining members around the garment.
 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the retaining members are clear.
 4. The method of claim 2, wherein the accessory is a necklace.
 5. The method of claim 4, further comprising moving the garment to cause the necklace to move back and forth through the retaining members.
 6. The method of claim 4, further comprising the user extending or contracting a muscle to cause the necklace to move back and forth through the retaining members.
 7. The method of claim 5, further comprising the user extending or contracting a muscle to cause the necklace to move back and forth through the retaining members.
 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the variety of angles is the retaining member having a point of attachment to the garment such that the point of attachment to the garment is pointing up, pointing left, and pointing right.
 9. The method of claim 2, further comprising: wherein the retaining members are clear; wherein the accessory is a necklace; moving the garment to cause the necklace to move back and forth through the retaining members; further comprising the user extending or contracting a muscle to cause the necklace to move back and forth through the retaining members; and wherein the variety of angles is the retaining member having a point of attachment to the garment such that the point of attachment to the garment is pointing up, pointing left, and pointing right. 